Changes to the AASHTO Design Service Life

Location: Frisco 2

Speaker:  Josh Beakley, P.E. – American Concrete Pipe Association

Presentation Description:

This past summer, the AASHTO Committee on Bridges and Structures approved the incorporation of 100 year material design properties for some thermoplastic pipes. AASHTO does not require a 100 year service life, so this is somewhat unique. What service life should be given to the different pipe materials? Is it really as simple as just picking a pipe type and saying it has a 100 year service life, or is there more to it? What is a “typical drainage application”? Let’s discuss.

Speaker Bio:

Josh Beakley is Vice President of Engineering for the American Concrete Pipe Association. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Virginia. Josh received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ and received his Masters in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Josh has been with the American Concrete Pipe Association since 1994. Prior to joining ACPA, he worked as a Civil Engineer for the Bechtel Power Corporation.

In his job functions for the American Concrete Pipe Association Josh represents the industry on national standards making committees. He also coordinates research and design programs for the precast concrete culvert industry. Occasionally, he assists engineers with the design and specification of precast concrete pipe and box culverts as well as performing educational seminars.

Josh is a member of ASCE, ACI, ASTM, and participates in AASHTO functions. He is a Spangler Award Winner, and an Award of Merit Honoree of ASTM, as well as a Heger Award Honoree of ACPA. He was also an ASCE Outstanding Reviewer in 2020 for the ASCE Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice.